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Perrero J, Vitorino J, Congiu E, Ugliengo P, Rimola A, Dulieu F. Binding energies of ethanol and ethylamine on interstellar water ices: synergy between theory and experiments. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:18205-18222. [PMID: 38904093 PMCID: PMC11221575 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01934b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Experimental and computational chemistry are two disciplines used to conduct research in astrochemistry, providing essential reference data for both astronomical observations and modeling. These approaches not only mutually support each other, but also serve as complementary tools to overcome their respective limitations. Leveraging on such synergy, we characterized the binding energies (BEs) of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and ethylamine (CH3CH2NH2), two interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs), on crystalline and amorphous water ices through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments. Experimentally, CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 behave similarly, in which desorption temperatures are higher on the water ices than on a bare gold surface. Computed cohesive energies of pure ethanol and ethylamine bulk structures allow describing of the BEs of the pure species deposited on the gold surface, as extracted from the TPD curve analyses. The BEs of submonolayer coverages of CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 on the water ices cannot be directly extracted from TPD due to their co-desorption with water, but they are computed through DFT calculations, and found to be greater than the cohesive energy of water. The behaviour of CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 is different when depositing adsorbate multilayers on the amorphous ice, in that, according to their computed cohesive energies, ethylamine layers present weaker interactions compared to ethanol and water. Finally, from the computed BEs of ethanol, ethylamine and water, we can infer that the snow-lines of these three species in protoplanetary disks will be situated at different distances from the central star. It appears that a fraction of ethanol and ethylamine is already frozen on the grains in the water snow-lines, causing their incorporation in water-rich planetesimals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Perrero
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Catalonia, Spain.
- Dipartimento di Chimica and Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces (NIS) Centre, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 7, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Julie Vitorino
- CY Cergy Paris Université, Observatoire de Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LERMA, F-95000 Cergy, France.
| | - Emanuele Congiu
- CY Cergy Paris Université, Observatoire de Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LERMA, F-95000 Cergy, France.
| | - Piero Ugliengo
- Dipartimento di Chimica and Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces (NIS) Centre, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 7, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Albert Rimola
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - François Dulieu
- CY Cergy Paris Université, Observatoire de Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LERMA, F-95000 Cergy, France.
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2
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Sanz-Novo M, Redondo P, Sánchez CI, Largo A, Barrientos C, Sordo JÁ. Structure and Spectroscopic Insights for CH 3PCO Isomers: A High-Level Quantum Chemical Study. J Phys Chem A 2024; 128:4083-4091. [PMID: 38723198 PMCID: PMC11129311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.4c01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
The exploration of phosphorus-bearing species stands as a prolific field in current astrochemical research, particularly within the context of prebiotic chemistry. Herein, we have employed high-level quantum chemistry methodologies to predict the structure and spectroscopic properties of isomers composed of a methyl group and three P, C, and O atoms. We have computed relative and dissociation energies, as well as rotational, rovibrational, and torsional parameters using the B2PLYPD3 functional and the explicitly correlated coupled cluster CCSD(T)-F12b method. Based upon our study, all the isomers exhibit a bent heavy atom skeleton with CH3PCO being the most stable structure, regardless of the level theory employed. Following in energy, we found four high-energy isomers, namely, CH3OCP, CH3CPO, CH3COP, and CH3OPC. The computed adiabatic dissociation energies support the stability of all [CH3, P, C, O] isomers against fragmentation into CH3 and [P, C, O]. Torsional barrier heights associated with the methyl internal rotation for each structure have been computed to evaluate the occurrence of possible A-E splittings in the rotational spectra. For the most stable isomer, CH3PCO, we found a V3 barrier of 82 cm-1, which is slightly larger than that obtained experimentally for the N-counterpart, CH3NCO, yet still very low. Therefore, the analysis of its rotational spectrum can be anticipated as a challenging task owing to the effect of the CH3 internal rotation. The complete set of spectroscopic constants and transition frequencies reported here for the most stable isomer, CH3PCO, is intended to facilitate eventual laboratory searches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Sanz-Novo
- Centro
de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Redondo
- Departamento
de Química Física, Universidad
de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Clara Isabel Sánchez
- Departamento
de Química Física, Universidad
de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Antonio Largo
- Departamento
de Química Física, Universidad
de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Carmen Barrientos
- Departamento
de Química Física, Universidad
de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - José Ángel Sordo
- Departamento
de Química Física y Analítica, Laboratorio de
Química Computacional, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Oviedo, Julián Clavería 8, 33006 Oviedo, Principado de Asturias, Spain
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3
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Paschek K, Lee M, Semenov DA, Henning TK. Prebiotic Vitamin B 3 Synthesis in Carbonaceous Planetesimals. Chempluschem 2024; 89:e202300508. [PMID: 37847591 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202300508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous chemistry within carbonaceous planetesimals is promising for synthesizing prebiotic organic matter essential to all life. Meteorites derived from these planetesimals delivered these life building blocks to the early Earth, potentially facilitating the origins of life. Here, we studied the formation of vitamin B3 as it is an important precursor of the coenzyme NAD(P)(H), which is essential for the metabolism of all life as we know it. We propose a new reaction mechanism based on known experiments in the literature that explains the synthesis of vitamin B3. It combines the sugar precursors glyceraldehyde or dihydroxyacetone with the amino acids aspartic acid or asparagine in aqueous solution without oxygen or other oxidizing agents. We performed thermochemical equilibrium calculations to test the thermodynamic favorability. The predicted vitamin B3 abundances resulting from this new pathway were compared with measured values in asteroids and meteorites. We conclude that competition for reactants and decomposition by hydrolysis are necessary to explain the prebiotic content of meteorites. In sum, our model fits well into the complex network of chemical pathways active in this environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Paschek
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mijin Lee
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dmitry A Semenov
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Butenandtstraße 5-13, House F, D-81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas K Henning
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Schaible MJ, Todd ZR, Cangi EM, Harman CE, Hughson KHG, Stelmach K. Chapter 3: The Origins and Evolution of Planetary Systems. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:S57-S75. [PMID: 38498821 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
The materials that form the diverse chemicals and structures on Earth-from mountains to oceans and biological organisms-all originated in a universe dominated by hydrogen and helium. Over billions of years, the composition and structure of the galaxies and stars evolved, and the elements of life, CHONPS, were formed through nucleosynthesis in stellar cores. Climactic events such as supernovae and stellar collisions produced heavier elements and spread them throughout the cosmos, often to be incorporated into new, more metal-rich stars. Stars typically form in molecular clouds containing small amounts of dust through the collapse of a high-density core. The surrounding nebular material is then pulled into a protoplanetary disk, from which planets, moons, asteroids, and comets eventually accrete. During the accretion of planetary systems, turbulent mixing can expose matter to a variety of different thermal and radiative environments. Chemical and physical changes in planetary system materials occur before and throughout the process of accretion, though many factors such as distance from the star, impact history, and level of heating experienced combine to ultimately determine the final geophysical characteristics. In Earth's planetary system, called the Solar System, after the orbits of the planets had settled into their current configuration, large impacts became rare, and the composition of and relative positions of objects became largely fixed. Further evolution of the respective chemical and physical environments of the planets-geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere-then became dependent on their local geochemistry, their atmospheric interactions with solar radiation, and smaller asteroid impacts. On Earth, the presence of land, air, and water, along with an abundance of important geophysical and geochemical phenomena, led to a habitable planet where conditions were right for life to thrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah J Schaible
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zoe R Todd
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Eryn M Cangi
- Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Kynan H G Hughson
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kamil Stelmach
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Ishikawa A, Kebukawa Y, Kobayashi K, Yoda I. Gamma-Ray-Induced Amino Acid Formation during Aqueous Alteration in Small Bodies: The Effects of Compositions of Starting Solutions. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:103. [PMID: 38255718 PMCID: PMC10817335 DOI: 10.3390/life14010103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Organic compounds, such as amino acids, are essential for the origin of life, and they may have been delivered to the prebiotic Earth from extra-terrestrial sources, such as carbonaceous chondrites. In the parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites, the radioactive decays of short-lived radionuclides, such as 26Al, cause the melting of ice, and aqueous alteration occurs in the early stages of solar system formation. Many experimental studies have shown that complex organic matter, including amino acids and high-molecular-weight organic compounds, is produced by such hydrothermal processes. On the other hand, radiation, particularly gamma rays from radionuclides, can contribute to the formation of amino acids from simple molecules such as formaldehyde and ammonia. In this study, we investigated the details of gamma-ray-induced amino acid formation, focusing on the effects of different starting materials on aqueous solutions of formaldehyde, ammonia, methanol, and glycolaldehyde with various compositions, as well as hexamethylenetetramine. Alanine and glycine were the most abundantly formed amino acids after acid hydrolysis of gamma-ray-irradiated products. Amino acid formation increased with increasing gamma-ray irradiation doses. Lower amounts of ammonia relative to formaldehyde produced more amino acids. Glycolaldehyde significantly increased amino acid yields. Our results indicated that glycolaldehyde formation from formaldehyde enhanced by gamma rays is key for the subsequent production of amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akari Ishikawa
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan (K.K.)
| | - Yoko Kebukawa
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan (K.K.)
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Kensei Kobayashi
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan (K.K.)
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Isao Yoda
- Co60 Irradiation Facility, Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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6
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Devata S, Cleaves HJ, Dimandja J, Heist CA, Meringer M. Comparative Evaluation of Electron Ionization Mass Spectral Prediction Methods. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023. [PMID: 37390315 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
During the past decade promising methods for computational prediction of electron ionization mass spectra have been developed. The most prominent ones are based on quantum chemistry (QCEIMS) and machine learning (CFM-EI, NEIMS). Here we provide a threefold comparison of these methods with respect to spectral prediction and compound identification. We found that there is no unambiguous way to determine the best of these three methods. Among other factors, we find that the choice of spectral distance functions play an important role regarding the performance for compound identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Devata
- International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad 500 032, India
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 1001 4th Ave, Suite 3201, Seattle, Washington 98154, United States
| | - Henderson James Cleaves
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 1001 4th Ave, Suite 3201, Seattle, Washington 98154, United States
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - John Dimandja
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Christopher A Heist
- Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Markus Meringer
- Department of Atmospheric Processors, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Münchner Straße 20, 82234 Oberpfaffenhofen-Wessling, Germany
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7
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Mahjoub A, Altwegg K, Poston MJ, Rubin M, Hodyss R, Choukroun M, Ehlmann BL, Hänni N, Brown ME, Blacksberg J, Eiler JM, Hand KP. Complex organosulfur molecules on comet 67P: Evidence from the ROSINA measurements and insights from laboratory simulations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh0394. [PMID: 37285429 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh0394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The ROSINA (Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis) instrument aboard the Rosetta mission revolutionized our understanding of cometary material composition. One of Rosetta's key findings is the complexity of the composition of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Here, we used ROSINA data to analyze dust particles that were volatilized during a dust event in September 2016 and report the detection of large organosulfur species and an increase in the abundances of sulfurous species previously detected in the coma. Our data support the presence of complex sulfur-bearing organics on the surface of the comet. In addition, we conducted laboratory simulations that show that this material may have formed from chemical reactions that were initiated by the irradiation of mixed ices containing H2S. Our findings highlight the importance of sulfur chemistry in cometary and precometary materials and the possibility of characterizing organosulfur materials in other comets and small icy bodies using the James Webb Space Telescope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Mahjoub
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
- Space Science Institute, 4765 Walnut St, Suite B, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Kathrin Altwegg
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Martin Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Hodyss
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Mathieu Choukroun
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Bethany L Ehlmann
- Division of Planetary and Space Sciences, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Nora Hänni
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael E Brown
- Division of Planetary and Space Sciences, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jordana Blacksberg
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - John M Eiler
- Division of Planetary and Space Sciences, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kevin P Hand
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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8
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Zhang C, Zhu C, Turner AM, Antonov IO, Garcia AD, Meinert C, Young LA, Jewitt DC, Kaiser RI. Processing of methane and acetylene ices by galactic cosmic rays and implications to the color diversity of Kuiper Belt objects. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg6936. [PMID: 37256949 PMCID: PMC10413643 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Kuiper Belt objects exhibit a wider color range than any other solar system population. The origin of this color diversity is unknown, but likely the result of the prolonged irradiation of organic materials by galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Here, we combine ultrahigh-vacuum irradiation experiments with comprehensive spectroscopic analyses to examine the color evolution during GCR processing methane and acetylene under Kuiper Belt conditions. This study replicates the colors of a population of Kuiper Belt objects such as Makemake, Orcus, and Salacia. Aromatic structural units carrying up to three rings as in phenanthrene (C14H10), phenalene (C9H10), and acenaphthylene (C12H8), of which some carry structural motives of DNA and RNA connected via unsaturated linkers, were found to play a key role in producing the reddish colors. These studies demonstrate the level of molecular complexity synthesized of GCR processing hydrocarbon and hint at the role played by irradiated ice in the early production of biological precursor molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaojiang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- W.M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- W.M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Andrew M. Turner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- W.M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Ivan O. Antonov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- W.M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Adrien D. Garcia
- Université Côte d’Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272 CNRS, Nice 06108, France
| | - Cornelia Meinert
- Université Côte d’Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272 CNRS, Nice 06108, France
| | - Leslie A. Young
- Department of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - David C. Jewitt
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ralf I. Kaiser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- W.M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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9
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Zhang Z, Jiang H, Ju P, Pan L, Rouillard J, Zhou G, Huang F, Hao J. Evaluating the abiotic synthesis potential and the stability of building blocks of life beneath an impact-induced steam atmosphere. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1032073. [PMID: 37089554 PMCID: PMC10116804 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1032073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A prerequisite for prebiotic chemistry is the accumulation of critical building blocks of life. Some studies argue that more frequent impact events on the primitive Earth could have induced a more reducing steam atmosphere and thus favor widespread and more efficient synthesis of life building blocks. However, elevated temperature is also proposed to threaten the stability of organics and whether life building blocks could accumulate to appreciable levels in the reducing yet hot surface seawater beneath the steam atmosphere is still poorly examined. Here, we used a thermodynamic tool to examine the synthesis affinity of various life building blocks using inorganic gasses as reactants at elevated temperatures and corresponding steam pressures relevant with the steam-seawater interface. Our calculations show that although the synthesis affinity of all life building blocks decreases when temperature increases, many organics, including methane, methanol, and carboxylic acids, have positive synthesis affinity over a wide range of temperatures, implying that these species were favorable to form (>10-6 molal) in the surface seawater. However, cyanide and formaldehyde have overall negative affinities, suggesting that these critical compounds would tend to undergo hydrolysis in the surface seawaters. Most of the 18 investigated amino acids have positive affinities at temperature <220°C and their synthesis affinity increases under more alkaline conditions. Sugars, ribose, and nucleobases have overall negative synthesis affinities at the investigated range of temperatures. Synthesis affinities are shown to be sensitive to the hydrogen fugacity. Higher hydrogen fugacity (in equilibrium with FQI or IW) favors the synthesis and accumulation of nearly all the investigated compounds, except for HCN and its derivate products. In summary, our results suggest that reducing conditions induced by primitive impacts could indeed favor the synthesis/accumulation of some life building blocks, but some critical species, particularly HCN and nucleosides, were still unfavorable to accumulate to appreciable levels. Our results can provide helpful guidance for future efforts to search for or understand the stability of biomolecules on other planets like Mars and icy moons. We advocate examining craters formed by more reducing impactors to look for the preservation of prebiotic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongbin Zhang
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Haofan Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Pengcheng Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environment, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lu Pan
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joti Rouillard
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Gentao Zhou
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Fang Huang
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jihua Hao
- Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, Anhui, China
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10
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Mardyukov A, Wende RC, Schreiner PR. Matrix isolation and photorearrangement of cis- and trans-1,2-ethenediol to glycolaldehyde. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:2596-2599. [PMID: 36753323 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc06331j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
1,2-Ethenediols are deemed key intermediates in prebiotic and interstellar syntheses of carbohydrates. Here we present the gas-phase synthesis of these enediols, the high-energy tautomers of glycolaldehyde, trapped in cryogenic argon matrices. Importantly, upon photolysis at λ = 180-254 nm, the enols rearrange to the simplest sugar glycolaldehyde.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Mardyukov
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen 35392, Germany.
| | - Raffael C Wende
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen 35392, Germany.
| | - Peter R Schreiner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen 35392, Germany.
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11
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Goetz C, Behar E, Beth A, Bodewits D, Bromley S, Burch J, Deca J, Divin A, Eriksson AI, Feldman PD, Galand M, Gunell H, Henri P, Heritier K, Jones GH, Mandt KE, Nilsson H, Noonan JW, Odelstad E, Parker JW, Rubin M, Simon Wedlund C, Stephenson P, Taylor MGGT, Vigren E, Vines SK, Volwerk M. The Plasma Environment of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2022; 218:65. [PMID: 36397966 PMCID: PMC9649581 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00931-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The environment of a comet is a fascinating and unique laboratory to study plasma processes and the formation of structures such as shocks and discontinuities from electron scales to ion scales and above. The European Space Agency's Rosetta mission collected data for more than two years, from the rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014 until the final touch-down of the spacecraft end of September 2016. This escort phase spanned a large arc of the comet's orbit around the Sun, including its perihelion and corresponding to heliocentric distances between 3.8 AU and 1.24 AU. The length of the active mission together with this span in heliocentric and cometocentric distances make the Rosetta data set unique and much richer than sets obtained with previous cometary probes. Here, we review the results from the Rosetta mission that pertain to the plasma environment. We detail all known sources and losses of the plasma and typical processes within it. The findings from in-situ plasma measurements are complemented by remote observations of emissions from the plasma. Overviews of the methods and instruments used in the study are given as well as a short review of the Rosetta mission. The long duration of the Rosetta mission provides the opportunity to better understand how the importance of these processes changes depending on parameters like the outgassing rate and the solar wind conditions. We discuss how the shape and existence of large scale structures depend on these parameters and how the plasma within different regions of the plasma environment can be characterised. We end with a non-exhaustive list of still open questions, as well as suggestions on how to answer them in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Goetz
- ESTEC, European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Etienne Behar
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, 981 28 Kiruna, Sweden
- Lagrange, OCA, UCA, CNRS, Nice, France
| | - Arnaud Beth
- Department of Physics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Dennis Bodewits
- Physics Department, Leach Science Center, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36832 USA
| | - Steve Bromley
- Physics Department, Leach Science Center, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36832 USA
| | - Jim Burch
- Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510 USA
| | - Jan Deca
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 USA
| | - Andrey Divin
- Earth Physics Department, St. Petersburg State University, Ulianovskaya, 1, St Petersburg, 198504 Russia
| | | | - Paul D. Feldman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Marina Galand
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Herbert Gunell
- Department of Physics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pierre Henri
- Lagrange, OCA, UCA, CNRS, Nice, France
- LPC2E, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | - Kevin Heritier
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Geraint H. Jones
- UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, RH5 6NT UK
- The Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | | | - Hans Nilsson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, 981 28 Kiruna, Sweden
| | - John W. Noonan
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719 USA
| | - Elias Odelstad
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 537, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Martin Rubin
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cyril Simon Wedlund
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Stephenson
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | | | - Erik Vigren
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 537, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sarah K. Vines
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - Martin Volwerk
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
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12
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Fioroni M, DeYonker NJ. Nitrile regio-synthesis by Ni centers on a siliceous surface: implications in prebiotic chemistry. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:11579-11582. [PMID: 36168891 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc04361k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
By means of quantum chemistry (PBE0/def2-TZVPP; DLPNO-CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ) and small, but reliable models of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS), an array of astrochemically-relevant catalysis products, related to prebiotic and origin of life chemistry, has been theoretically explored. In this work, the heterogeneous phase hydrocyanation reaction of an unsaturated CC bond (propene) catalyzed by a Ni center complexed to a silica surface is analyzed. Of the two possible regioisomers, the branched iso-propyl-cyanide is thermodynamically and kinetically preferred over the linear n-propyl-cyanide (T = 200 K). The formation of nitriles based on a regioselective process has profound implications on prebiotic and origin of life chemistry, as well as deep connections to terrestrial surface chemistry and geochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Fioroni
- Department of Chemistry, 213 Smith Chemistry Building, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA, 38152.
| | - Nathan J DeYonker
- Department of Chemistry, 213 Smith Chemistry Building, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA, 38152.
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13
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Haupa KA, Joshi PR, Lee Y. Hydrogen‐atom tunneling reactions in solid
para
‐hydrogen and their applications to astrochemistry. J CHIN CHEM SOC-TAIP 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jccs.202200210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Anna Haupa
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan
- Institute of Physical Chemistry Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Karlsruhe Germany
| | - Prasad Ramesh Joshi
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - Yuan‐Pern Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan
- Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan
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14
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Leseigneur G, Bredehöft JH, Gautier T, Giri C, Krüger H, MacDermott AJ, Meierhenrich UJ, Caro GMM, Raulin F, Steele A, Steininger H, Szopa C, Thiemann W, Ulamec S, Goesmann F. ESA's Cometary Mission Rosetta—Re‐Characterization of the COSAC Mass Spectrometry Results. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202201925. [PMID: 35460531 PMCID: PMC9400906 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202201925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The most pristine material of the Solar System is assumed to be preserved in comets in the form of dust and ice as refractory matter. ESA's mission Rosetta and its lander Philae had been developed to investigate the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in situ. Twenty‐five minutes after the initial touchdown of Philae on the surface of comet 67P in November 2014, a mass spectrum was recorded by the time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer COSAC onboard Philae. The new characterization of this mass spectrum through non‐negative least squares fitting and Monte Carlo simulations reveals the chemical composition of comet 67P. A suite of 12 organic molecules, 9 of which also found in the original analysis of this data, exhibit high statistical probability to be present in the grains sampled from the cometary nucleus. These volatile molecules are among the most abundant in the comet's chemical composition and represent an inventory of the first raw materials present in the early Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Leseigneur
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7272 Institut de Chimie de Nice 28 Avenue Valrose 06108 Nice France
| | - Jan Hendrik Bredehöft
- University of Bremen Department 02 Biology/Chemistry Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry Leobener Str. 5 28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Thomas Gautier
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) LATMOS/IPSL UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay Sorbonne Université, CNRS 11 Bd d'Alembert 78280 Guyancourt France
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris Université PSL, CNRS Sorbonne Université Université de Paris 5 place Jules Janssen 92195 Meudon France
| | - Chaitanya Giri
- Research and Information System for Developing Countries India Habitat Centre Lodhi Road New Delhi 110 003 India
- Earth-Life Science Institute Tokyo Institute of Technology 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8550 Japan
| | - Harald Krüger
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research Justus von Liebig Weg 3 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | | | - Uwe J. Meierhenrich
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7272 Institut de Chimie de Nice 28 Avenue Valrose 06108 Nice France
| | - Guillermo M. Muñoz Caro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) Ctra. de Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850 Madrid Spain
| | - François Raulin
- Univ Paris Est Créteil and Université de Paris, CNRS LISA F-94010 Créteil France
| | - Andrew Steele
- Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington, DC USA
| | - Harald Steininger
- Design Assurance Department OHB System AG Universitätsallee 27 28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) LATMOS/IPSL UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay Sorbonne Université, CNRS 11 Bd d'Alembert 78280 Guyancourt France
| | - Wolfram Thiemann
- University of Bremen Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry Leobener Strasse NW2 28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Operations and Astronaut Training Linder Höhe 51147 Cologne Germany
| | - Fred Goesmann
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research Justus von Liebig Weg 3 37077 Göttingen Germany
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15
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Leseigneur G, Bredehöft JH, Gautier T, Giri C, Krüger H, MacDermott AJ, Meierhenrich UJ, Muñoz Caro GM, Raulin F, Steele A, Szopa C, Thiemann W, Ulamec S, Goesmann F. COSAC's Only Gas Chromatogram Taken on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Chempluschem 2022; 87:e202200116. [PMID: 35608832 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202200116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Philae lander of the Rosetta space mission made a non-nominal landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12, 2014. Shortly after, using the limited power available from Philae's batteries, the COSAC instrument performed a single 18-minutes gas chromatogram, which has remained unpublished until now due to the lack of identifiable elution. This work shows that, despite the unsuccessful drilling of the comet and deposition of surface material in the SD2 ovens, the measurements from the COSAC instrument were executed nominally. We describe an automated search for extremely small deviations from noise and discuss the possibility of a signal from ethylene glycol at m/z 31. Arguments for and against this detection are listed, but the results remain inconclusive. Still, the successful operations of an analytical chemistry laboratory on a cometary nucleus gives great hope for the future of space exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Leseigneur
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7272, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Jan Hendrik Bredehöft
- University of Bremen, Department 02 Biology/Chemistry, Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry, Leobener Str.5, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Thomas Gautier
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195, Meudon, France
| | - Chaitanya Giri
- Research and Information System for Developing Countries, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Harald Krüger
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus von Liebig Weg 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Uwe J Meierhenrich
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7272, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Guillermo M Muñoz Caro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. de Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | - François Raulin
- Univ Paris Est Créteil and Université de Paris, CNRS LISA, 94010, Créteil, France
| | - Andrew Steele
- Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie, Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - Wolfram Thiemann
- Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse NW2, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Linder Höhe, 51147, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fred Goesmann
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus von Liebig Weg 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Gal JF, Maria PC, Duñach E, Meierhenrich UJ. Evolution of Chemical Research in Nice, Côte d'Azur: From Early Laboratories to the 'Institut de Chimie de Nice'. Chempluschem 2022; 87:e202100532. [PMID: 35312225 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202100532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The 'Institut de Chimie de Nice' (ICN), founded in 2012, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022. Today, the ICN is part of the University Côte d'Azur (UCA), one out of nine excellence universities in France. ICN is also affiliated to the CNRS. We use the institute's anniversary to reflect on the origins and the successful evolution of research in chemical sciences in Nice, France. We outline research topics and their development towards modern chemistry in Nice that are characterized by innovation and territorial anchoring. At present, four research axes, namely aroma and perfume chemistry, medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, and material chemistry structure the institute. ICN has created five start-up companies and includes a technological platform. The ICN is central part of the university and contributes to the advancement in chemical sciences as evidenced by both fundamental research and active contributions to local partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Gal
- Université Côte d'Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Pierre-Charles Maria
- Université Côte d'Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Elisabet Duñach
- Université Côte d'Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Uwe J Meierhenrich
- Université Côte d'Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France
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17
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Leseigneur G, Bredehöft JH, Gautier T, Giri C, Krüger H, MacDermott AJ, Meierhenrich UJ, Muñoz Caro GM, Raulin F, Steele A, Steininger H, Szopa C, Thiemann W, Ulamec S, Goesmann F. ESA’s Cometary Mission Rosetta – Re‐Characterization of the COSAC Mass Spectrometry Results. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202201925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Leseigneur
- Universite Cote d'Azur Institut de Chimie de Nice 28 Avenue Valrose 06108 Nice FRANCE
| | - Jan Hendrik Bredehöft
- University of Bremen Faculty 2 Biology Chemistry: Universitat Bremen Fachbereich 2 Biologie Chemie Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry Leobener Str.5 28359 Bremen GERMANY
| | | | - Chaitanya Giri
- Tokyo Institute of Technology ILA: Tokyo Kogyo Daigaku Liberal Arts Kenkyu Kyoikuin Earth-Life Science Institute JAPAN
| | - Harald Krüger
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research: Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung MPI Justus von Liebig Weg 3 37077 Göttingen GERMANY
| | | | - Uwe J. Meierhenrich
- Universite Cote d'Azur Chemistry Parc ValroseFaculté de Sciences 6108 Nice FRANCE
| | | | | | - Andrew Steele
- Carnegie Institution of Washington: Carnegie Institution for Science Geophysical Laboratory UNITED STATES
| | - Harald Steininger
- OHB System AG Design Assurance Department Universitätsallee 27 28359 Bremen GERMANY
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Université Paris-Saclay: Universite Paris-Saclay LATMOS FRANCE
| | - Wolfram Thiemann
- University of Bremen Faculty 2 Biology Chemistry: Universitat Bremen Fachbereich 2 Biologie Chemie Fachbereich 2 Biologie Chemie GERMANY
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- DLR Bonn: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt DLR Standort Bonn Space Operations and Astronaut Training GERMANY
| | - Fred Goesmann
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research: Max-Planck-Institut fur Sonnensystemforschung MPI GERMANY
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18
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Current State and Perspectives of Simulation and Modeling of Aliphatic Isocyanates and Polyisocyanates. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14091642. [PMID: 35566811 PMCID: PMC9099476 DOI: 10.3390/polym14091642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aliphatic isocyanates and polyisocyanates are central molecules in the fabrication of polyurethanes, coatings, and adhesives and, due to their excellent mechanical and stability properties, are continuously investigated in advanced applications; however, despite the growing interest in isocyanate-based systems, atomistic simulations on them have been limited by the lack of accurate parametrizations for these molecular species. In this review, we will first provide an overview of current research on isocyanate systems to highlight their most promising applications, especially in fields far from their typical usage, and to justify the need for further modeling works. Next, we will discuss the state of their modeling, from first-principle studies to atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and coarse-grained approaches, highlighting the recent advances in atomistic modeling. Finally, the most promising lines of research in the modeling of isocyanates are discussed in light of the possibilities opened by novel approaches, such as machine learning.
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19
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Betzenbichler G, Huber L, Kräh S, Morkos MLK, Siegle AF, Trapp O. Chiral stationary phases and applications in gas chromatography. Chirality 2022; 34:732-759. [PMID: 35315953 DOI: 10.1002/chir.23427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chiral compounds are ubiquitous in nature and play a pivotal role in biochemical processes, in chiroptical materials and applications, and as chiral drugs. The analysis and determination of the enantiomeric ratio (er) of chiral compounds is of enormous scientific, industrial, and economic importance. Chiral separation techniques and methods have become indispensable tools to separate chiral compounds into their enantiomers on an analytical as well on a preparative level to obtain enantiopure compounds. Chiral gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography have paved the way and fostered several research areas, that is, asymmetric synthesis and catalysis in organic, medicinal, pharmaceutical, and supramolecular chemistry. The development of highly enantioselective chiral stationary phases was essential. In particular, the elucidation and understanding of the underlying enantioselective supramolecular separation mechanisms led to the design of new chiral stationary phases. This review article focuses on the development of chiral stationary phases for gas chromatography. The fundamental mechanisms of the recognition and separation of enantiomers and the selectors and chiral stationary phases used in chiral gas chromatography are presented. An overview over syntheses and applications of these chiral stationary phases is presented as a practical guidance for enantioselective separation of chiral compound classes and substances by gas chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Huber
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabrina Kräh
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Alexander F Siegle
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Oliver Trapp
- Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
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20
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Chirality in Organic and Mineral Systems: A Review of Reactivity and Alteration Processes Relevant to Prebiotic Chemistry and Life Detection Missions. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14030460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chirality is a central feature in the evolution of biological systems, but the reason for biology’s strong preference for specific chiralities of amino acids, sugars, and other molecules remains a controversial and unanswered question in origins of life research. Biological polymers tend toward homochiral systems, which favor the incorporation of a single enantiomer (molecules with a specific chiral configuration) over the other. There have been numerous investigations into the processes that preferentially enrich one enantiomer to understand the evolution of an early, racemic, prebiotic organic world. Chirality can also be a property of minerals; their interaction with chiral organics is important for assessing how post-depositional alteration processes could affect the stereochemical configuration of simple and complex organic molecules. In this paper, we review the properties of organic compounds and minerals as well as the physical, chemical, and geological processes that affect organic and mineral chirality during the preservation and detection of organic compounds. We provide perspectives and discussions on the reactions and analytical techniques that can be performed in the laboratory, and comment on the state of knowledge of flight-capable technologies in current and future planetary missions, with a focus on organics analysis and life detection.
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21
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Simmie JM. C 2H 5NO Isomers: From Acetamide to 1,2-Oxazetidine and Beyond. J Phys Chem A 2022; 126:924-939. [PMID: 35113546 PMCID: PMC8859852 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c09984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
This work documents
the properties of a number of isomers of molecular
formula C2H5NO from the most stable, acetamide,
through 1,2-oxazetidine and including even higher energy species largely
of a dipolar nature. Only two of the isomers have been detected in
emissions from the interstellar medium (ISM); possible further candidates
are identified, and the likelihood of their being detectable is considered.
In general, hardly any of these compounds have been discussed in the
existing chemical literature, so this work represents an important
contribution extending the canon of chemical bonding which can contribute
to machine learning, providing a more exacting test of AI applications.
The presence in the ISM of acetamide, CH3C(O)NH2, is the subject of current debate with no clear and obvious paths
to its formation; it is shown that a 1,3-[H]-transfer from (E,Z)-ethanimidic acid, CH3C(OH)=NH, is
feasible in spite of an energy barrier of 130 kJ mol–1. It is speculated that imidic acid can itself be formed from abundant
precursors, H2O and CH3C≡N, in an acid-induced,
water addition, autocatalytic reaction on water–ice grains.
H3CC≡NH3CC≡NH+ +
H2OH3CC(O+H2)=NHH3CC(OH)=NH
+ H3O+
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Simmie
- School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
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22
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Carvalho GA, Pilling S. Chemical changes induced during heating of acetonitrile-rich ice pre-irradiated by X-rays and its implication in astrochemistry. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 267:120495. [PMID: 34700156 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2021.120495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we investigate the effects induced by the heating of acetonitrile-rich ice from 13 K to 350 K. Before the heating, the sample was irradiated at 13 K by broadband X-rays (6 eV to 2 keV), which trigger the production of new molecules, such as HCN, H2CCNH, CH4 and CH3NC (see Carvalho and Pilling, 2020) and also induced desorption of frozen species to gas-phase. New spectra were collected during heating to investigate whether new species, not present before at lower temperatures, appear due to thermal processing. New infrared bands were identified at temperatures around 120 K and 300 K, from which it was possible to notice the possible presence of HCN/CN radical, ammonia and C2N2. It was also verified that acetonitrile has a thermal desorption peak between 120 K and 200 K, which yields to the vanishing of acetonitrile within the sample for temperatures of 200 K and above. Some infrared features assigned before solely to acetonitrile remain for sample temperatures >200 K, which indicates the presence of blended species with similar infrared features. From analyzing those blended peaks, we also perceived the possible presence of aminoacetonitrile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geanderson A Carvalho
- Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (IP&D), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), Av. Shishima Hifumi 2911, São José dos Campos 12244-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Sérgio Pilling
- Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento (IP&D), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), Av. Shishima Hifumi 2911, São José dos Campos 12244-000, São Paulo, Brazil
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23
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Meinert C, Garcia AD, Topin J, Jones NC, Diekmann M, Berger R, Nahon L, Hoffmann SV, Meierhenrich UJ. Amino acid gas phase circular dichroism and implications for the origin of biomolecular asymmetry. Nat Commun 2022; 13:502. [PMID: 35082305 PMCID: PMC8792022 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28184-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Life on Earth employs chiral amino acids in stereochemical L-form, but the cause of molecular symmetry breaking remains unknown. Chiroptical properties of amino acids - expressed in circular dichroism (CD) - have been previously investigated in solid and solution phase. However, both environments distort the intrinsic charge distribution associated with CD transitions. Here we report on CD and anisotropy spectra of amino acids recorded in the gas phase, where any asymmetry is solely determined by the genuine electromagnetic transition moments. Using a pressure- and temperature-controlled gas cell coupled to a synchrotron radiation CD spectropolarimeter, we found CD active transitions and anisotropies in the 130-280 nm range, which are rationalized by ab initio calculation. As gas phase glycine was found in a cometary coma, our data may provide insights into gas phase asymmetric photochemical reactions in the life cycle of interstellar gas and dust, at the origin of the enantiomeric selection of life's L-amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Meinert
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, UMR 7272 CNRS, 06108, Nice, France.
| | - Adrien D Garcia
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, UMR 7272 CNRS, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Jérémie Topin
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, UMR 7272 CNRS, 06108, Nice, France
| | - Nykola C Jones
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mira Diekmann
- Fachbereich Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Robert Berger
- Fachbereich Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Laurent Nahon
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Søren V Hoffmann
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Uwe J Meierhenrich
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, UMR 7272 CNRS, 06108, Nice, France.
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24
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Experimental identification of aminomethanol (NH 2CH 2OH)-the key intermediate in the Strecker Synthesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:375. [PMID: 35046418 PMCID: PMC8770675 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27963-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Strecker Synthesis of (a)chiral α-amino acids from simple organic compounds, such as ammonia (NH3), aldehydes (RCHO), and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) has been recognized as a viable route to amino acids on primordial earth. However, preparation and isolation of the simplest hemiaminal intermediate – the aminomethanol (NH2CH2OH)– formed in the Strecker Synthesis to even the simplest amino acid glycine (H2NCH2COOH) has been elusive. Here, we report the identification of aminomethanol prepared in low-temperature methylamine (CH3NH2) – oxygen (O2) ices upon exposure to energetic electrons. Isomer-selective photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PI-ReTOF-MS) facilitated the gas phase detection of aminomethanol during the temperature program desorption (TPD) phase of the reaction products. The preparation and observation of the key transient aminomethanol changes our perception of the synthetic pathways to amino acids and the unexpected kinetic stability in extreme environments. The Strecker synthesis is considered a viable route to amino acids formation on the primordial Earth. Here the authors succeed in observing its elusive intermediate aminomethanol, formed by insertion of an electronically excited oxygen atom in methylamine and stabilized by an icy matrix, using isomer-selective photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry during thermal desorption of the ice mixture.
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25
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Zasimov PV, Sanochkina EV, Feldman VI. Radiation-induced transformations of acetaldehyde molecules at cryogenic temperatures: a matrix isolation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 24:419-432. [PMID: 34897322 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp03999g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Acetaldehyde is one of the key small organic molecules involved in astrochemical and atmospheric processes occurring under the action of ionizing and UV radiation. While the UV photochemistry of acetaldehyde is well studied, little is known about the mechanism of processes induced by high-energy radiation. This paper reports the first systematic study on the chemical transformations of CH3CHO molecules resulting from X-ray irradiation under the conditions of matrix isolation in different solid noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) at 5 K. CO, CH4, H2CCO, H2CCO-H2, C2H2⋯H2O, CH2CHOH, CH3CO˙, CH3˙, HCCO˙, and CCO were identified as the main radiolysis products. The dominant pathway of acetaldehyde degradation involves C-C bond cleavage leading to the formation of carbon monoxide and methane. The second important channel is dehydrogenation resulting in the formation of ketene, a potentially highly reactive species. It was found that the matrix significantly affected both the decomposition efficiency and distribution of the reaction channels. Based on these observations, it was suggested that the formation of the methyl radical as well as vinyl alcohol and the C2H2⋯H2O complex presumably included a significant contribution of ionic pathways. The decomposition of acetyl radicals under photolysis with visible light leading to the CH3˙-CO radical-molecule pair was observed in all matrices, while the recovery of CH3CO˙ in the dark at 5 K was found only in Xe. This finding represents a prominent example of matrix-dependent chemical dynamics (probably, involving tunnelling), which deserves further theoretical studies. Probable mechanisms of acetaldehyde radiolysis and their implications for astrochemistry, atmospheric chemistry and low-temperature chemistry are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel V Zasimov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
| | | | - Vladimir I Feldman
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
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26
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Volosatova AD, Lukianova MA, Zasimov PV, Feldman VI. Direct evidence for a radiation-induced synthesis of acetonitrile and isoacetonitrile from a 1 : 1 CH 4HCN complex at cryogenic temperatures: is it a missing link between inorganic and prebiotic astrochemistry? Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:18449-18460. [PMID: 34612385 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01598b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nitriles are important constituents of extraterrestrial media. Nitriles are supposed to play a crucial role in prebiotic chemistry occurring in the interstellar medium. In this work, we have investigated the low-temperature radiation-induced transformations of a 1 : 1 CH4HCN complex as a plausible precursor of the simplest nitriles using the matrix isolation approach with FTIR spectroscopic detection. The parent complexes isolated in a noble gas (Ng) matrix were obtained by deposition of the CH4/HCN/Ng gaseous mixture and characterized by comparison of experimental complexation-induced shifts of the HCN fundamentals with the results of the ab initio calculations. It was found that the X-ray irradiation of low-temperature matrices containing the isolated 1 : 1 CH4HCN complex resulted in the formation of acetonitrile (CH3CN) and isoacetonitrile (CH3NC) and it appears to be the first experimental evidence for the formation of C2 nitriles (acetonitrile and isoacetonitrile) from such a "building block". Additionally, a 1 : 1 CH4HNC complex was tentatively assigned to the irradiated Ar and Kr matrices. It is demonstrated that the matrix has a strong effect on the CH3CN/CH3NC yield ratio, which dramatically increases in the row Ar < Kr < Xe. Also, the efficiency of the radiation-induced formation of the CH4HNC complex was shown to decrease from Ar to Kr. It is believed that the proposed pathway for acetonitrile formation may be a significant step in the radiation-induced evolution leading to complex organic molecules and biomolecules under astrochemical conditions. Furthermore, the obtained results provide a prominent example of the impact of very weak intermolecular interactions on the radiation-induced transformations in cold media.
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27
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Vazquez T, Vuppala S, Ayodeji I, Song L, Grimes N, Evans-Nguyen T. IN SITU MASS SPECTROMETERS FOR APPLICATIONS IN SPACE. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2021; 40:670-691. [PMID: 32949473 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry (MS) has played a remarkable role in exploring the chemical make-up of our solar system. In situ probes were historically developed to analyze inorganic/elemental compositions while leveraging native ions or harsh ionization methods to aid in exploring astrophysics applications (e.g., heliophysics). The part played by MS is demonstrated in a majority of scientific payloads focused on exploration, particularly at the turn of the century with missions including Cassini-Huygens, Rosetta, and now Mars Science Laboratory. Plasma mass spectrometers have grown more sophisticated to interrogate fundamental inorganic analysis (e.g., solar wind and magnetospheres) including both native ions and neutrals. Cosmic dust floating in-between and orbiting planetary bodies has been targeted by unique sampling via impact ionization. More complex systems rely on landed planetary instrumentation with lessons learned from pioneering missions in the 1970s and 1980s to near neighbors Mars and Venus. Modern probes have expanded applicable target chemicals by recognizing the needs to provide for molecular analyses, extended mass range, and high resolution to provide unequivocal detection and identification. Notably, as the field surrounding astrobiology has gained momentum, so has the in situ detection of complex molecular chemistry including the chemical evolution of organic molecules. Mission context often includes long term timelines from spacecraft launch to arrival and additionally the diverse target environments across various planets. Therefore, customized experimental designs for space MS have been born of necessity. To this point, the development of MS instrumentation on Earth has now far outpaced development for experiments in space. Therefore, exciting developments lie ahead among various international space agencies conducting current and future mission planning with increasingly enhanced instrumentation. For instance, near-neighbor Mars has entertained considerable attention with complex MS instrumentation with laser desorption ionization aboard the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instrument. To study comets, the Rosetta mission employs a secondary ionization mechanism. Meanwhile, the various moons of Jupiter and Saturn have intriguing surface and subsurface properties that warrant more advanced analyzer systems. Instrumentation design will continue to evolve as requirements develop and this review serves as a reflection of the contribution of in situ MS to space exploration in the past 20 years and the anticipated contribution yet to come. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Mass Spec Rev.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Vazquez
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Sinduri Vuppala
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | | | - Linxia Song
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Nathan Grimes
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
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28
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Prajapati D, Vinodkumar PC, Limbachiya C, Vinodkumar M. Theoretical investigations of structural, spectroscopic and electron collision data of acetone. Mol Phys 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2021.1948124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Prajapati
- Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, India
- Shree M R Arts & Science College, Rajpipla, India
| | - P. C. Vinodkumar
- Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, India
| | - C. Limbachiya
- Department of Applied Physics, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India
| | - M. Vinodkumar
- Electronics Department, V.P. & R.P.T.P. Science College, Vallabh Vidyanagar, India
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29
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Mardyukov A, Keul F, Schreiner PR. 1,1,2‐Ethenetriol: The Enol of Glycolic Acid, a High‐Energy Prebiotic Molecule. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202104436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Artur Mardyukov
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
| | - Felix Keul
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
| | - Peter R. Schreiner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
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30
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A computational study on the formations of formamide analogues: Interesting chemistry by silicon analogues. COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2021.113290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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31
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Fulvio D, Potapov A, He J, Henning T. Astrochemical Pathways to Complex Organic and Prebiotic Molecules: Experimental Perspectives for In Situ Solid-State Studies. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11060568. [PMID: 34204233 PMCID: PMC8235774 DOI: 10.3390/life11060568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A deep understanding of the origin of life requires the physical, chemical, and biological study of prebiotic systems and the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying their evolutionary steps. In this context, great attention is paid to the class of interstellar molecules known as "Complex Organic Molecules" (COMs), considered as possible precursors of prebiotic species. Although COMs have already been detected in different astrophysical environments (such as interstellar clouds, protostars, and protoplanetary disks) and in comets, the physical-chemical mechanisms underlying their formation are not yet fully understood. In this framework, a unique contribution comes from laboratory experiments specifically designed to mimic the conditions found in space. We present a review of experimental studies on the formation and evolution of COMs in the solid state, i.e., within ices of astrophysical interest, devoting special attention to the in situ detection and analysis techniques commonly used in laboratory astrochemistry. We discuss their main strengths and weaknesses and provide a perspective view on novel techniques, which may help in overcoming the current experimental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Fulvio
- Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Salita Moiariello 16, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.H.); (T.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alexey Potapov
- Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Solid State Physics, Helmholtzweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany;
| | - Jiao He
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.H.); (T.H.)
| | - Thomas Henning
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; (J.H.); (T.H.)
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32
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Mardyukov A, Keul F, Schreiner PR. 1,1,2-Ethenetriol: The Enol of Glycolic Acid, a High-Energy Prebiotic Molecule. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:15313-15316. [PMID: 33950559 PMCID: PMC8362078 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202104436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As low‐temperature conditions (e.g. in space) prohibit reactions requiring large activation energies, an alternative mechanism for follow‐up transformations of highly stable molecules involves the reactions of higher energy isomers that were generated in a different environment. Hence, one working model for the formation of larger organic molecules is their generation from high‐lying isomers of otherwise rather stable molecules. As an example, we present here the synthesis as well as IR and UV/Vis spectroscopic identification of the previously elusive 1,1,2‐ethenetriol, the higher energy enol tautomer of glycolic acid, a rather stable and hence unreactive biological building block. The title compound was generated in the gas phase by flash vacuum pyrolysis of tartronic acid at 400 °C and was subsequently trapped in argon matrices at 10 K. The spectral assignments are supported by B3LYP/6–311++G(2d,2p) computations. Upon photolysis at λ=180–254 nm, 1,1,2‐ethenetriol rearranges to glycolic acid and ketene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Mardyukov
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Felix Keul
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter R Schreiner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392, Giessen, Germany
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33
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Potapov A, McCoustra M. Physics and chemistry on the surface of cosmic dust grains: a laboratory view. INT REV PHYS CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/0144235x.2021.1918498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Potapov
- Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin McCoustra
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
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34
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Hydrogenations of Isocyanic Acid: A Computational Study on Four Possible Concerted Paths for Formamide Formation. Theor Chem Acc 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00214-021-02750-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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35
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Abstract
The evolution of coenzymes, or their impact on the origin of life, is fundamental for understanding our own existence. Having established reasonable hypotheses about the emergence of prebiotic chemical building blocks, which were probably created under palaeogeochemical conditions, and surmising that these smaller compounds must have become integrated to afford complex macromolecules such as RNA, the question of coenzyme origin and its relation to the evolution of functional biochemistry should gain new impetus. Many coenzymes have a simple chemical structure and are often nucleotide-derived, which suggests that they may have coexisted with the emergence of RNA and may have played a pivotal role in early metabolism. Based on current theories of prebiotic evolution, which attempt to explain the emergence of privileged organic building blocks, this Review discusses plausible hypotheses on the prebiotic formation of key elements within selected extant coenzymes. In combination with prebiotic RNA, coenzymes may have dramatically broadened early protometabolic networks and the catalytic scope of RNA during the evolution of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kirschning
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Biomolekulares Wirkstoffzentrum (BMWZ)Leibniz Universität HannoverSchneiderberg 1B30167HannoverGermany
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36
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Classification of the Biogenicity of Complex Organic Mixtures for the Detection of Extraterrestrial Life. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030234. [PMID: 33809046 PMCID: PMC8001260 DOI: 10.3390/life11030234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Searching for life in the Universe depends on unambiguously distinguishing biological features from background signals, which could take the form of chemical, morphological, or spectral signatures. The discovery and direct measurement of organic compounds unambiguously indicative of extraterrestrial (ET) life is a major goal of Solar System exploration. Biology processes matter and energy differently from abiological systems, and materials produced by biological systems may become enriched in planetary environments where biology is operative. However, ET biology might be composed of different components than terrestrial life. As ET sample return is difficult, in situ methods for identifying biology will be useful. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a potentially versatile life detection technique, which will be used to analyze numerous Solar System environments in the near future. We show here that simple algorithmic analysis of MS data from abiotic synthesis (natural and synthetic), microbial cells, and thermally processed biological materials (lab-grown organisms and petroleum) easily identifies relational organic compound distributions that distinguish pristine and aged biological and abiological materials, which likely can be attributed to the types of compounds these processes produce, as well as how they are formed and decompose. To our knowledge this is the first comprehensive demonstration of the utility of this analytical technique for the detection of biology. This method is independent of the detection of particular masses or molecular species samples may contain. This suggests a general method to agnostically detect evidence of biology using MS given a sufficiently strong signal in which the majority of the material in a sample has either a biological or abiological origin. Such metrics are also likely to be useful for studies of possible emergent living phenomena, and paleobiological samples.
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37
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Sparks WB, Parenteau MN, Blankenship RE, Germer TA, Patty CHL, Bott KM, Telesco CM, Meadows VS. Spectropolarimetry of Primitive Phototrophs as Global Surface Biosignatures. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:219-234. [PMID: 33216615 PMCID: PMC7876348 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is an ancient metabolic process that began on early Earth and offers plentiful energy to organisms that can utilize it such that that they achieve global significance. The potential exists for similar processes to operate on habitable exoplanets and result in observable biosignatures. Before the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis, the most primitive phototrophs, anoxygenic phototrophs, dominated surface environments on the planet. Here, we characterize surface polarization biosignatures associated with a diverse sample of anoxygenic phototrophs and cyanobacteria, examining both pure cultures and microbial communities from the natural environment. Polarimetry is a tool that can be used to measure the chiral signature of biomolecules. Chirality is considered a universal, agnostic biosignature that is independent of a planet's biochemistry, receiving considerable interest as a target biosignature for life-detection missions. In contrast to preliminary indications from earlier work, we show that there is a diversity of distinctive circular polarization signatures, including the magnitude of the polarization, associated with the variety of chiral photosynthetic pigments and pigment complexes of anoxygenic and oxygenic phototrophs. We also show that the apparent death and release of pigments from one of the phototrophs is accompanied by an elevation of the reflectance polarization signal by an order of magnitude, which may be significant for remotely detectable environmental signatures. This work and others suggest that circular polarization signals up to ∼1% may occur, significantly stronger than previously anticipated circular polarization levels. We conclude that global surface polarization biosignatures may arise from anoxygenic and oxygenic phototrophs, which have dominated nearly 80% of the history of our rocky, inhabited planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- William B. Sparks
- SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
- Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mary Niki Parenteau
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Robert E. Blankenship
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Thomas A. Germer
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Christian Herman Lucas Patty
- Institute of Plant Biology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kimberly M. Bott
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Charles M. Telesco
- Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Victoria S. Meadows
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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38
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Resonance in Chirogenesis and Photochirogenesis: Colloidal Polymers Meet Chiral Optofluidics. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13020199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastable colloids made of crystalline and/or non-crystalline matters render abilities of photonic resonators susceptible to chiral chemical and circularly polarized light sources. By assuming that μm-size colloids and co-colloids consisting of π- and/or σ-conjugated polymers dispersed into an optofluidic medium are artificial models of open-flow, non-equilibrium coacervates, we showcase experimentally resonance effects in chirogenesis and photochirogenesis, revealed by gigantic boosted chiroptical signals as circular dichroism (CD), optical rotation dispersion, circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), and CPL excitation (CPLE) spectral datasets. The resonance in chirogenesis occurs at very specific refractive indices (RIs) of the surrounding medium. The chirogenesis is susceptible to the nature of the optically active optofluidic medium. Moreover, upon an excitation-wavelength-dependent circularly polarized (CP) light source, a fully controlled absolute photochirogenesis, which includes all chiroptical generation, inversion, erase, switching, and short-/long-lived memories, is possible when the colloidal non-photochromic and photochromic polymers are dispersed in an achiral optofluidic medium with a tuned RI. The hand of the CP light source is not a determining factor for the product chirality. These results are associated with my experience concerning amphiphilic polymerizable colloids, in which, four decades ago, allowed proposing a perspective that colloids are connectable to light, polymers, helix, coacervates, and panspermia hypotheses, nuclear physics, biology, radioisotopes, homochirality question, first life, and cosmology.
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39
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McKay AJ, Roth NX. Organic Matter in Cometary Environments. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:37. [PMID: 33430031 PMCID: PMC7826631 DOI: 10.3390/life11010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Comets contain primitive material leftover from the formation of the Solar System, making studies of their composition important for understanding the formation of volatile material in the early Solar System. This includes organic molecules, which, for the purpose of this review, we define as compounds with C-H and/or C-C bonds. In this review, we discuss the history and recent breakthroughs of the study of organic matter in comets, from simple organic molecules and photodissociation fragments to large macromolecular structures. We summarize results both from Earth-based studies as well as spacecraft missions to comets, highlighted by the Rosetta mission, which orbited comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for two years, providing unprecedented insights into the nature of comets. We conclude with future prospects for the study of organic matter in comets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. McKay
- Department of Physics, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
- Planetary Systems Laboratory Code 693, Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Nathan X. Roth
- Astrochemistry Laboratory Code 691, Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA;
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD 21046, USA
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40
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Computational Surface Modelling of Ices and Minerals of Interstellar Interest—Insights and Perspectives. MINERALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/min11010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The universe is molecularly rich, comprising from the simplest molecule (H2) to complex organic molecules (e.g., CH3CHO and NH2CHO), some of which of biological relevance (e.g., amino acids). This chemical richness is intimately linked to the different physical phases forming Solar-like planetary systems, in which at each phase, molecules of increasing complexity form. Interestingly, synthesis of some of these compounds only takes place in the presence of interstellar (IS) grains, i.e., solid-state sub-micron sized particles consisting of naked dust of silicates or carbonaceous materials that can be covered by water-dominated ice mantles. Surfaces of IS grains exhibit particular characteristics that allow the occurrence of pivotal chemical reactions, such as the presence of binding/catalytic sites and the capability to dissipate energy excesses through the grain phonons. The present know-how on the physicochemical features of IS grains has been obtained by the fruitful synergy of astronomical observational with astrochemical modelling and laboratory experiments. However, current limitations of these disciplines prevent us from having a full understanding of the IS grain surface chemistry as they cannot provide fundamental atomic-scale of grain surface elementary steps (i.e., adsorption, diffusion, reaction and desorption). This essential information can be obtained by means of simulations based on computational chemistry methods. One capability of these simulations deals with the construction of atom-based structural models mimicking the surfaces of IS grains, the very first step to investigate on the grain surface chemistry. This perspective aims to present the current state-of-the-art methods, techniques and strategies available in computational chemistry to model (i.e., construct and simulate) surfaces present in IS grains. Although we focus on water ice mantles and olivinic silicates as IS test case materials to exemplify the modelling procedures, a final discussion on the applicability of these approaches to simulate surfaces of other cosmic grain materials (e.g., cometary and meteoritic) is given.
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41
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Zellner NEB, McCaffrey VP, Butler JHE. Cometary Glycolaldehyde as a Source of pre-RNA Molecules. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1377-1388. [PMID: 32985898 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Over 200 molecules have been detected in multiple extraterrestrial environments, including glycolaldehyde (C2(H2O)2, GLA), a two-carbon sugar precursor that has been detected in regions of the interstellar medium. Its recent in situ detection on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and through remote observations in the comae of others provides tantalizing evidence that it is common on most (if not all) comets. Impact experiments conducted at the Experimental Impact Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center have shown that samples of GLA and GLA mixed with montmorillonite clays can survive impact delivery in the pressure range of 4.5 to 25 GPa. Extrapolated to amounts of GLA observed on individual comets and assuming a monotonic impact rate in the first billion years of Solar System history, these experimental results show that up to 1023 kg of cometary GLA could have survived impact delivery, with substantial amounts of threose, erythrose, glycolic acid, and ethylene glycol also produced or delivered. Importantly, independent of the profile of the impact flux in the early Solar System, comet delivery of GLA would have provided (and may continue to provide) a reservoir of starting material for the formose reaction (to form ribose) and the Strecker reaction (to form amino acids). Thus, comets may have been important delivery vehicles for starting molecules necessary for life as we know it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jayden H E Butler
- Department of Physics, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physics, California State University - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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42
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kirschning
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Biomolekulares Wirkstoffzentrum (BMWZ) Leibniz Universität Hannover Schneiderberg 1B 30167 Hannover Deutschland
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43
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Mardyukov A, Keul F, Schreiner PR. Preparation and characterization of the enol of acetamide: 1-aminoethenol, a high-energy prebiotic molecule. Chem Sci 2020; 11:12358-12363. [PMID: 34094445 PMCID: PMC8162875 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc04906a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Amide tautomers, which constitute the higher-energy amide bond linkage, not only are key for a variety of biological but also prebiotic processes. In this work, we present the gas-phase synthesis of 1-aminoethenol, the higher-energy tautomer of acetamide, that has not been spectroscopically identified to date. The title compound was prepared by flash vacuum pyrolysis of malonamic acid and was characterized employing matrix isolation infrared as well as ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. Coupled-cluster computations at the AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory support the spectroscopic assignments. Upon photolysis at λ > 270 nm, the enol rearranges to acetamide as well as ketene and ammonia. As the latter two are even higher in energy, they constitute viable starting materials for formation of the title compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Mardyukov
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
| | - Felix Keul
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
| | - Peter R Schreiner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17 35392 Giessen Germany
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44
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Pastorek A, Ferus M, Čuba V, Šrámek O, Ivanek O, Civiš S. Primordial Radioactivity and Prebiotic Chemical Evolution: Effect of γ Radiation on Formamide-Based Synthesis. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:8951-8959. [PMID: 32970439 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c05233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although the effect of ionizing radiation on prebiotic chemistry is often overlooked, primordial natural radioactivity might have been an important source of energy for various chemical transformations. Estimates of the abundances of short-lived radionuclides on early Earth suggest that the primordial intensity of endogenous terrestrial radioactivity was up to 4 × 103 times higher than it is today. Therefore, we assume that chemical substances in contact with radioactive rocks should therefore undergo radiolysis. The calculations are followed by research investigating the influence of ionizing γ radiation on basic prebiotic substances, including formamide mixed with various clays, which might have played the role of a catalyst and an agent that partially blocked radiation that was potentially destructive for the products. Our explorations of this effect have shown that the irradiation of formamide-clay mixtures at doses of ∼6 kGy produces significant amounts of urea (up to the maximal concentration of approximately 250 mg L-1), which plays a role in HCN-based prebiotic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pastorek
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200 Prague, Prague 8, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 78/7, 11519 Prague, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Ferus
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200 Prague, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Čuba
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 78/7, 11519 Prague, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Šrámek
- Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000 Prague, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Ivanek
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200 Prague, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Svatopluk Civiš
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200 Prague, Prague 8, Czech Republic
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45
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Jiménez-Serra I, Martín-Pintado J, Rivilla VM, Rodríguez-Almeida L, Alonso Alonso ER, Zeng S, Cocinero EJ, Martín S, Requena-Torres M, Martín-Domenech R, Testi L. Toward the RNA-World in the Interstellar Medium-Detection of Urea and Search of 2-Amino-oxazole and Simple Sugars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1048-1066. [PMID: 32283036 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, astrochemistry has witnessed an impressive increase in the number of detections of complex organic molecules. Some of these species are of prebiotic interest such as glycolaldehyde, the simplest sugar, or aminoacetonitrile, a possible precursor of glycine. Recently, we have reported the detection of two new nitrogen-bearing complex organics, glycolonitrile and Z-cyanomethanimine, known to be intermediate species in the formation process of ribonucleotides within theories of a primordial RNA-world for the origin of life. In this study, we present deep and high-sensitivity observations toward two of the most chemically rich sources in the galaxy: a giant molecular cloud in the center of the Milky Way (G + 0.693-0.027) and a proto-Sun (IRAS16293-2422 B). Our aim is to explore whether the key precursors considered to drive the primordial RNA-world chemistry are also found in space. Our high-sensitivity observations reveal that urea is present in G + 0.693-0.027 with an abundance of ∼5 × 10-11. This is the first detection of this prebiotic species outside a star-forming region. Urea remains undetected toward the proto-Sun IRAS16293-2422 B (upper limit to its abundance of ≤2 × 10-11). Other precursors of the RNA-world chemical scheme such as glycolaldehyde or cyanamide are abundant in space, but key prebiotic species such as 2-amino-oxazole, glyceraldehyde, or dihydroxyacetone are not detected in either source. Future more sensitive observations targeting the brightest transitions of these species will be needed to disentangle whether these large prebiotic organics are certainly present in space.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Elena R Alonso Alonso
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, (UPV-EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Shaoshan Zeng
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emilio J Cocinero
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, (UPV-EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Sergio Martín
- European Southern Observatory, Vitacura, Chile
- Joint ALMA Observatory, Vitacura, Chile
| | | | | | - Leonardo Testi
- INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Florence, Italy
- European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
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46
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Ligterink NFW, El-Abd SJ, Brogan CL, Hunter TR, Remijan AJ, Garrod RT, McGuire BM. The Family of Amide Molecules toward NGC 6334I. THE ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 2020; 901:37. [DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/abad38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Amide molecules produced in space could play a key role in the formation of biomolecules on a young planetary object. However, the formation and chemical network of amide molecules in space is not well understood. In this work, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations are used to study a number of amide(-like) molecules toward the high-mass star-forming region NGC 6334I. The first detections of cyanamide (NH2CN), acetamide (CH3C(O)NH2), and N-methylformamide (CH3NHCHO) are presented for this source. These are combined with analyses of isocyanic acid (HNCO) and formamide (NH2CHO), and a tentative detection of urea (carbamide; NH2C(O)NH2). Abundance correlations show that most amides are likely formed in related reactions occurring in ices on interstellar dust grains in NGC 6334I. However, in an expanded sample of sources, large abundance variations are seen for NH2CN that seem to depend on the source type, which suggests that the physical conditions within the source heavily influence the production of this species. The rich amide inventory of NGC 6334I strengthens the case that interstellar molecules can contribute to the emergence of biomolecules on planets.
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47
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Fairén AG, Gómez-Elvira J, Briones C, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Rodríguez-Manfredi JA, López Heredero R, Belenguer T, Moral AG, Moreno-Paz M, Parro V. The Complex Molecules Detector (CMOLD): A Fluidic-Based Instrument Suite to Search for (Bio)chemical Complexity on Mars and Icy Moons. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1076-1096. [PMID: 32856927 PMCID: PMC7116096 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Organic chemistry is ubiquitous in the Solar System, and both Mars and a number of icy satellites of the outer Solar System show substantial promise for having hosted or hosting life. Here, we propose a novel astrobiologically focused instrument suite that could be included as scientific payload in future missions to Mars or the icy moons: the Complex Molecules Detector, or CMOLD. CMOLD is devoted to determining different levels of prebiotic/biotic chemical and structural targets following a chemically general approach (i.e., valid for both terrestrial and nonterrestrial life), as well as their compatibility with terrestrial life. CMOLD is based on a microfluidic block that distributes a liquid suspension sample to three instruments by using complementary technologies: (1) novel microscopic techniques for identifying ultrastructures and cell-like morphologies, (2) Raman spectroscopy for detecting universal intramolecular complexity that leads to biochemical functionality, and (3) bioaffinity-based systems (including antibodies and aptamers as capture probes) for finding life-related and nonlife-related molecular structures. We highlight our current developments to make this type of instruments flight-ready for upcoming Mars missions: the Raman spectrometer included in the science payload of the ESAs Rosalind Franklin rover (Raman Laser Spectrometer instrument) to be launched in 2022, and the biomarker detector that was included as payload in the NASA Icebreaker lander mission proposal (SOLID instrument). CMOLD is a robust solution that builds on the combination of three complementary, existing techniques to cover a wide spectrum of targets in the search for (bio)chemical complexity in the Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto G. Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca New York, USA
| | - Javier Gómez-Elvira
- Payload & Space Science Department, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Raquel López Heredero
- Payload & Space Science Department, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás Belenguer
- Payload & Space Science Department, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andoni G. Moral
- Payload & Space Science Department, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Víctor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
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48
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Osinski G, Cockell C, Pontefract A, Sapers H. The Role of Meteorite Impacts in the Origin of Life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1121-1149. [PMID: 32876492 PMCID: PMC7499892 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The conditions, timing, and setting for the origin of life on Earth and whether life exists elsewhere in our solar system and beyond represent some of the most fundamental scientific questions of our time. Although the bombardment of planets and satellites by asteroids and comets has long been viewed as a destructive process that would have presented a barrier to the emergence of life and frustrated or extinguished life, we provide a comprehensive synthesis of data and observations on the beneficial role of impacts in a wide range of prebiotic and biological processes. In the context of previously proposed environments for the origin of life on Earth, we discuss how meteorite impacts can generate both subaerial and submarine hydrothermal vents, abundant hydrothermal-sedimentary settings, and impact analogues for volcanic pumice rafts and splash pools. Impact events can also deliver and/or generate many of the necessary chemical ingredients for life and catalytic substrates such as clays as well. The role that impact cratering plays in fracturing planetary crusts and its effects on deep subsurface habitats for life are also discussed. In summary, we propose that meteorite impact events are a fundamental geobiological process in planetary evolution that played an important role in the origin of life on Earth. We conclude with the recommendation that impact craters should be considered prime sites in the search for evidence of past life on Mars. Furthermore, unlike other geological processes such as volcanism or plate tectonics, impact cratering is ubiquitous on planetary bodies throughout the Universe and is independent of size, composition, and distance from the host star. Impact events thus provide a mechanism with the potential to generate habitable planets, moons, and asteroids throughout the Solar System and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- G.R. Osinski
- Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Address correspondence to: Dr. Gordon Osinski, Department of Earth Sciences, 1151 Richmond Street, University of Western Ontario, London ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - C.S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - A. Pontefract
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - H.M. Sapers
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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49
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Cerqueira HBA, Santos JC, Fantuzzi F, Ribeiro FDA, Rocco MLM, Oliveira RR, Rocha AB. Structure, Stability, and Spectroscopic Properties of Small Acetonitrile Cation Clusters. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:6845-6855. [PMID: 32702984 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c03529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ionization and fragmentation pathways induced by ionizing agents are key to understanding the formation of complex molecules in astrophysical environments. Acetonitrile (CH3CN), the simplest organic nitrile, is an important molecule present in the interstellar medium. In this work, DFT and MP2 calculations were performed in order to obtain the low energy structures of the most relevant cations formed from electron-stimulated ion desorption of CH3CN ices. Selected reaction pathways and spectroscopic properties were also calculated. Our results indicate that the most stable acetonitrile cation structure is CH2CNH+ and that hydrogenation can occur successively without isomerization steps until its complete saturation. Moreover, the stability of distinct cluster families formed from the interaction of acetonitrile with small fragments, such as CHn+, C2Hn+, and CHnCNH+, is discussed in terms of their respective binding energies. Some of these molecular clusters are stabilized by hydrogen bonds, leading to species whose infrared features are characterized by a strong redshift of the N-H stretching mode. Finally, the rotational spectra of CH3CN and protonated acetonitrile, CH3CNH+, were simulated using distinct computational protocols based on DFT, MP2, and CCSD(T) considering centrifugal distortion, vibrational-rotational coupling, and vibrational anharmonicity corrections. By adopting an empirical scaling procedure for calculating spectroscopic parameters, we were able to estimate the rotational frequencies of CH3CNH+ with an expected average error below 1 MHz for J values up to 10.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique B A Cerqueira
- Instituto de Quı́mica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Julia C Santos
- Instituto de Quı́mica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Felipe Fantuzzi
- Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Straße 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Maria Luiza M Rocco
- Instituto de Quı́mica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Ricardo R Oliveira
- Instituto de Quı́mica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Alexandre B Rocha
- Instituto de Quı́mica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
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50
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Harper OJ, Coudert LH, Loison JC, Gans B, Douin S, Garcia GA, Guillemin JC, Boyé-Péronne S. Quasi-symmetry effects in the threshold photoelectron spectrum of methyl isocyanate. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:074308. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0017753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J. Harper
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Laurent H. Coudert
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Loison
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 CNRS-Université de Bordeaux, Bât. A12, 351 Cours de la Libération, F-33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - Bérenger Gans
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Stéphane Douin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Gustavo A. Garcia
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin BP 48, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Jean-Claude Guillemin
- Univ. Rennes, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR-UMR6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Séverine Boyé-Péronne
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay, France
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